Contact assembly



I Juhe 17, 1969 I G..KLAIBER. ETAL I 7 450 I CONTACT, ASSEMBLY OriginalFiled Oct. 22, 1965 220 I l6 I4 FIG. 3.

FIG. 4.

INVENTORS CHARLES H. MAPS,. JR. GERHART KLAIBER BY cum-m United StatesPatent CONTACT ASSEMBLY Gerhart Klaiber and Charles H. Maps, Jr., WestLong Branch, N.J., assignors to Electronic Associates Inc.,

Long Branch, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 501,832, Oct. 22,

1965. This application Dec. 5, 1967, Ser. No. 688,262

Int. Cl. H01v 33/30 U.S. Cl. 20051.1 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE In accordance with the present invention there is provided anelectrical contact assembly for receiving a patchcord pin contact fromboth its front direction and from its side direction. The contactassembly comprises a pair of resilient spring blade members each havinga relatively long longitudinal dimension and a relatively shorttransverse dimension. The blade members are secured in a body memberremote from their front edges with the blade members being resilientlybiased toward each other. Each of the blade members have a contact tipformed therein adjacent its front edge with each contact tip extendingtoward and opposing the other-contact tip. Each contact tip has asurface flairing away from the other contact tip surface toward thefront edge to form a pair of front entry flares. In addition each of thecontact tip surfaces also flares away from the other contact tip surfaceof the blade member to form a pair of side entry flares. Thus thepatchcord pin contact may be inserted from the side by way of the sideentry flares to engage the tips or from the front by way of the frontentry flares to engage the tips.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 501,832, filed Oct. 22,1965.

This invention relates to a contact assembly and more particularly to acontact for computer patching.

In prior general purpose computers and particularly general purposeanalog computers, it has been known to interconnect the differingcomputing elements by means of patchcords. For example, a patchbay hasbeen provided which includes contact assemblies which are connected tothe computing elements located within the computer structure. The actualpatching of the patchcords is done on a removable prepatch panel andthat panel is then plugged into the patchbay so that the patchcordcontacts engage the patchbay contact assemblies. In this manner thecomputing elements are interconnected one with another as described, forexample, in the text, Electronic Analog and Hybrid Computers, by Kornand Korn, McGraw-Hill, 1964, at chapter 11.

The patchcord contacts comprise a tip or pin contact electricallyconnected at each of the ends of the patchcord. The patchcord tip or pincontact is inserted into and through the prepatch panel so that itextends out of the rear of that panel. The prepatch panel is thus loadedwith patchcords away from the computer area to form a programarrangement. In this manner a computer program can be stored for lateruse then brought to the patchbay for immediate running of the program onthe computer. To install the loaded prepatch panel in the patchbay, theprepatch panel is initially aligned so that each of the patchcord tipsare to one side of and not touching its respective contact assembly inthe patchbay. The prepatch panel is then moved a suflicient distance toone side to an aligned position so that each of the patchcord tips isfully engaged by its associated contact assembly. It will be understoodthat many thousands of patchcord tips may be engaged at one time so thata sub- 3,450,849 Patented June 17, 1969 "ice stantially large magnitudeof force is necessary to move the prepatch panel the small amount ofdistance to produce engagement of the tips with the contacts. Thus, toprovide this force a lever assembly or a motor drive has been required.With the prepatch panel moved from its initial position to its alignedor operative position it will be understood that patchcord tips may beplugged directly into and through the prepatch panel and they will thendirectly engage and forcibly bear on the contact assemblies in thepatchbay. Thus the contact assemblies must be designed to be able toreceive patchcord tips from their sides as well as from their front andto provide positive electrical contact.

In order to achieve these purposes many prior contact assemblies forpatchbays have comprised a single spring arm formed to receive patchcordpin contacts from both their sides and their front. However such springarm contacts have left much to be desired as they provided mechanicalunbalance in the pressure applied by the single arm contact to thepatchcord tip. In addition such prior assemblies did not haveversatility in that they did not provide for switching operation by theuse of the contacts.

Accordingly an object of the present invention is a contact assembly fora patchbay which provides for front and side entrance for a patchcordtip and balanced contact pressure on the engaged tip.

Another object of the present invention is a computer patchbay contactassembly which provides switching operations when a patchcord tip or pincontact is inserted into the contact assembly.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an electricalcontact assembly for receiving a patchcord pin contact from both itsfront direction and from its side direction. The contact assemblycomprises contact members having first, second and third sections. Thesecond sections being secured in a body or housing in a spacedrelationship. The first sections extending outwardly from a first end ofthe housing and defining a pair of resilient spring blade members eachhaving a relatively long longitudinal dimension and a relatively shorttransverse dimension. The blade members are secured in a body memberremote from their front edges with the blade members being resilientlybiased toward each other Each of the blade members have a contact tipformed therein adjacent its front edge with each contact tip extendingtoward and opposing the other contact tip. Each contact tip has asurface flaring away from the other contact tip surface toward the frontedge to form a pair of front entry flares. In addition each of thecontact tip surfaces also flares away from the other contact tip surfacein a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension toform a pair of side entry flares. Thus the patchcord pin contact may beinserted from the side by way of the side entry flares to engage thetips or from the front by way of the front entry flares to engage thetips.

Further in accordance with the invention the body member is comprised ofinsulating material to electrically insulate one blade member from theother. The third sections of the contact members extend outwardly from asecond end of the housing. The contact points are disposed so that theydo not normally touch each other thereby to form a normally open switch.When a patchcord pin contact engages the two contact tips of the blademembers a circuit is completed between the blade members through the pincontact to effectively close the switch. In addition a normally closedswitch may be formed by electrically insulating the blade members onefrom the other and providing each blade member with a contact pointwhich normally engage each other to electrically connect the two blademembers. In addition one of the blade members has its contact tipelectrically insulated. When a patchcord pin contact is inserted toengage the contact tips, the circuit between the contact points isopened and a circuit is only completed between the patchcord pin contactand the uninsulated blade member.

The. invention will be more clearly understood from following thedetailed description when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a contact assembly embodying theinvention;

FIG. 1A is a side view of a portion of a blade member shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blade member structure of FIG. 1 anda patchcord pin contact;

FIG. 3 is a persepctive view of another embodiment of the inventioncomprising a contact assembly utilized as a normally open switch; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of still another embodiment of theinvention comprising a contact assembly utilized as a normally closedswitch.

Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown a contact assembly comprisedbasically of a pair of blade like spring arm members with each of thearms or blades 11a and 11b having a contact tip 12a and 12brespectively, which are formed adjacent the front edges of the blades.Both of the contact tips 12a and 12b extend toward and oppose eachother. The blades 11a and 11b are formed of a single piece of resilientmetal comprising an assembly 13 as best shown in FIG. 2. A positioner11c having an enlarged end portion is formed from the same piece ofmetal to maintain a separation between blades 11a and 11b. A metalconnection or conductor engaging tube 15 is crimped adjacent the rearedge of the blade members and is adapted to be crimped to a connectingwire thereby to make electrical connection with the contacts 11a and11b. The rear of blade assembly 13 is disposed within a metal shell orhousing with plastic insulators 16 preventing electrical contact betweenthe blade assembly 13 and the shell 14. For purposes of explanation, thefront of the blade members 11a and 11b and assembly 10 is to the left inFIG. 1 and to the right in FIG. 2 and the rear of the members andassembly is to the right in FIG. 1 and to the left in FIG. 2.

The shell 14 is adapted to be received in patchbay structure andpositioned with respect to patchcord tips in a prepatch panel asdescribed, for example, in the above text and in patent application SerNo. 501,835 filed concurrently with this application by the sameapplicant and assigned to the same assignee as this application nowpatent No. 3,308,347 for Computer Patch Bay Formed of a Plurality ofBase Blocks. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 2 a patchcord connecter 18has a tip or pin contact 20 which is adapted to pass through an openingin the prepatch panel and is mechanically secured thereto. Thus as thepatch panel is moved from its initial position to its operative oraligned position, the tip 20 moves into engagement with contact tips 12aand 12b so that these tips forcibly bear on the pin contact 20. Inaddition the prepatch panel may be in its operative position and thecontact 18 is then plugged into a respective prepatch panel opening sothat its pin contact 20 moves into direct frontal engagement withcontact tips 12a and 12b. 7

Blades 11a and 11b may be formed of a flexible resilientmaterial Wellknown in the art such as annealed beryllium copper which is gold platedor phosphor bronze which has been gold plated. The blades have asubstantially long longitudinal dimension, a substantially shorttransverse dimension and are positioned to be approximately parallel asshown in the unengaged position in FIG. 1. The blades are resilientlybiased to tend to make the contact tips 12a and 12b approach each otherbut they are prevented from touching by the positioner 110.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 1A and 2, the contact lips 12a and 121; are formedto have side entry flares 22a and 22b to provide an entrance for pin 20as it moves into engagement with the contact assembly 10. The surface22a and 22b each flare away from each other toward a respectivelongitudinal edge 23a, 23b with the flare being rounded in shape asillustrated or flat at a 45 degree angle, for example. Thus, inoperation the pin 20 pushes against the flared surfaces 22a and 22bthereby opening the contact tips 12a and 12b to allow the pin contact 20to position itself between the tips 12a and 12b and in engagemen and inelectrical contact therewith.

There is further provided similar shaped entry flares 24a and 24b whichallow the patchboard tip 20 to enter from the front of the assembly.Specifically the surface 24a and 24b each flare away from each othertoward a respective blade front edge. The flares may be rounded or flatin shape so that the pin 20 pushes them apart upon engagement.

Front flares 24a and 24b may also be defined in the following manner. Alongitudinal axis, running in the long dimension of the blades may beconsidered to run between and parallel to the two blades 11a and 11b. Toform the front entry flares 24a and 24b the contact tips 12a and 12brespectively flare outwardly away from this longitudinal axis movingalong the blades in a direction toward the blade front end edges awayfrom the body '14. As best shown in FIG. In, each front entry flaredefines a contact tip crest extending over a substantial portion of atransverse dimension of a respective blade.

In similar manner the side entry flares 22a and 22b may be defined byconsidering a transverse axis which is perpendicular to the foregoinglongitudinal axis. This transverse axis runs between the blades 11a and11b and parallel to each of the blades. The side flares 22a and 22bflare outwardly from the contact tips away from the transverse axismoving in a direction along the blades toward a respective one of thelongitudinal edges 23a, 2317. Thus, flares 22a and 22b flare away fromeach other in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinalaxis.

In this manner in accordance with the invention there are formed bothside and front entry flares which allow the pin 20 to enter and engagethe contact assembly 10 either from the side or the front. Once havingmade engagement, the contact pressure on the tip is balanced between thetwo equal resilient spring arms or blades 11a and 1112.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 as previously described both spring contacts 11a and11b are connected together and to the connection tube 15. Thus tube 15is electrically connected by way of both arms or blades 11a and 11b toan engaged patchcord tip 20, FIG. 2. In FIG. 3 blades 30a and. 30b aresimilar to blades 11a and 11b of FIGS. 1 and 2 except that blades 30aand 30b are electrically insulated one from the other by means of aninsulated body member 31. Blade member 30a extends through the insulator body 31 to form at the rear of the assembly a connector 32a.Similarly the blade member 30b extends through insulator body 31 to forma connector 32b at the assembly rear. Connectors or conductor engagingmembers 32a and 32b of bladelike shape are engaged by suitableelectrical connecting clips and are maintained separated one from theother by an additional insulator member 34. The body insulator 31 isformed of a suitable insulating material such as polypropylene and thereis formed a forwardly extending insulator 35 disposed between blades 30aand 30b to maintain a separation between contact ti-ps 37a and 37b. Thusas previously described with respect to FIG. 1, the blades 11a and 11bare biased to tend to make the contact tips approach each other but nottouch. Further, the body member 31 is formed in a shape to fit into ablock retaining aperture of a patchbay structure.

In accordance with the invention the contact assembly of FIG. 3 operatesas a normally open switch in its illustrated unengaged position.Accordingly, an electric circuit connected between contacts 32a and 32bis in its open circuit position. When a patchcord tip engages tips 37aand 37b, a circuit is completed between those tips so that a completedcircuit may be traced by way of the connector 32a through the bodymember 31, arm 30a, tip 37a, a patchcord tip 20, tip 37b, arm 30b, andthrough the insulator 31 to the connector 32b. In this manner thecontact assembly of FIG. 3 functions as a normally open switch which isclosed when a patchcord tip or pin contact is inserted into the contactassembly.

Further the contact assembly of the present invention may be utilized asa normally closed switch as shown in FIG. 4. Blades 40a and 40b aresimilar to blades 11a and 11b of FIG. 1 and are electrically insulatedone from the other. Blade member 40a extends into an insulator bodymember 41 and out of the rear thereof as a connector 42a. Blade member40b extends through insulator 41 and out of the rear thereof as aconnector 42b. An insulator member 44 extends from the body insulator 41to provide electrical insulation between the connectors 42a and 42b. Inaddition a forward insulator 45 extends from the body insulator 41toward the front to maintain a predetermined separation between blades40a and 40b.

In accordance with the invention spherical contact point 46:: is formedin blade 40a extending in a direction toward the other blade 40b. In acorresponding position in blade 40b a spherical contact point 46b isformed in that blade extending toward and opposing contact 46a. Each ofthe contact points 46a and 46b are formed in height to a magnitudeslightly greater than one half the distance between blades 40a and 40b.In this manner, contact points 46a and 46b electrically contact eachother with the assembly in its normal unengaged position. It will now beunderstood that the contact assembly of FIG. 4 provides a normallyclosed circuit which may be traced by way of connector 42a and throughthe insulator 41 to blade 40a, contact 46a, contact 46b, blade 40bthrough insulator 41 to connector 42b.

One of the spring arms 40a has a plastic insulating sleeve 48 molded tocover its tip 47a and extends toward the base 41 half way down the arm40a. It will be seen that the insulating sleeve 48 may be provided bycoating the blade 40a or by shrinking a plastic fitting all as wellknown in the art.

When a patchcord pin is inserted to engage tips 47a and 47b, the pinmakes electrical contact only with the uninsulated tip 47b. In additionthe patchcord pin is effective to separate the two blades 40a and 40b ina manner previously described so that the contact points 46a and 461; nolonger electrically engage. Thus the normally closed electric circuithas been opened so that connector 42a no longer is connected to 42b andthe patchcord tip makes electrical contact only with contact tip 47bwhich is electrically connected to the connector 42b. Of course when thepatchcord tip is removed from engagement with the tips 47a and 47b thecontact assembly of FIG. 4 returns to its normal position which is itsnormally closed position and connector 42a is again electricallyconnected to connector 42b.

Modifications of this invention not described herein will be apparent tothose skilled in the art and it is intended that the matter contained inthe foregoing descrip tion be interpreted as illustrative and notlimiting.

We claim:

1. In an electrical contact assembly having a housing of insulatingmaterial and contact members.

said contact members having first, second and third sections, saidsecond sections being disposed and secured in said housing in a spacedand insulated relationship,

said first sections extending outwardly from a first end of said housingand defining a pair of blade members having closely spaced contact tipswith inwardly curved portions for engagement with a single contactmember therebetween,

said third sections extending outwardly from a second end of saidhousing and having conductor engaging members for connection withconductor members,

said conductor engaging members being insulated from each other,

means extending from said housing between said blade members to preventsaid contact tips from touching, wherein the improvement comprises eachof said blade members having (1) a relatively long longitudinaldimension, a relatively short transverse dimension and (2) a front edge,

each of said blade members having one of said contact tips formedtherein adjacent said front edge thereof, each contact tip having asurface flaring away from said other contact tip surface towards saidfront edge to form a pair of front entry flares, each said surface alsoflaring away from said other contact tip surface in a directiongenerally perpendicular to said longitudinal dimension to form a pair ofside entry flares whereby said contact tips form said inwardly curvedportions for engagement with said single contact member therebetween.

2. The contact assembly of claim 1 in which each of said blade membershas a pair of longitudinal edges and in which each said surface alsoflares away from said other contact tip surface in a direction generallyperpendicular to said longitudinal dimension and toward one of saidlongitudinal edges to form sad pair of side entry flares.

3. The contact assembly of claim 1 in which each of said front entryflares defines a contact tip crest extending over a substantial portionof said transverse dimension of a respective blade member.

4. The contact assembly of claim 1 in which each of said blade membershas an additional contact member, each additional contact memberextending toward and opposing each other additional contact member andproviding a closed electrical connection when said contact tips areunengaged with said isngle contact member.

5. The contact assembly of claim 1 in which said contact tips areelectrically insulated from each other, each of said blade membershaving an additional contact member, each additional contact memberextending toward and opposing said other additional contact member andproviding a closed electrical connection when said contact tips areunengaged with said single contact member to provde a normally closedcircuit and when said contact tips are engaged with said single contactmember said electrical connection is opened.

6. The contact assembly of claim 1 in which said conductor engagingmembers define first and second circuit paths and said single contactmember defines a third circuit path, said blade members being in aparallel relationship with said contact tips beng spaced apart by aninsulated extending means to permit engagement of said single contactmember therebetween to electrically connect said first, second and thirdpaths simultaneously.

7. The contact assembly of claim 1 in which said blade members areapproximately parallel to each other to position said contact tips toreceive said single contact member inserted parallel to a longitudinalaxis running in said long dimension (1) as guided by said side entryflares for a single contact member entering from a side direction or (2)as guided by said front entry flares for a single contact memberentering from a front direction.

8. In an electrical contact assembly having a housing member ofinsulating material and contact members,

said contact members having first, second and third sections,

said second sections being disposed and secured in said housing in aspaced relationship,

said first sections extending outwardly from a first end of said housingmember and defining a pair of blade members having closely spacedcontact tips with inwardly curved portions for engagement with a singlecontact member therebetween,

said third sections being secured together and having a conductorengaging member for connection with a conductor member which extendsoutwardly from a second end of said housing,

a member extending outwardly from said first end of said housingvmemberbetween said blade members to prevent said contact tips from touching,

wherein the improvement comprises each of said blade members having (1)a relatively long longitudinaldimension and a relatively shorttransverse dimension and (2) a front edge,

each of said blade members having one of said contact tips formedtherein adjacent said front edge thereof, each contact tip extendingtoward and opposing said other contact tip, each contact tip having asurface flaring away from said other contact tip surface towards saidfront edge to form a pair of front entry flares, each said surface alsoflaring away from said other contact tip surface towards said front edgeto form a pair of front entry flares, each said surface also flaringaway from said other contact tip surface in a direction generallyperpendicular to said longitudinal dimension to form a pair of sideentry flares whereby said contact tips form said inwardly curvedportions for engagement with said single contact member therebetween.

9. The contact assembly of claim 8 in which each of said front entryflares defines a contact tip crest extending over a substantial portionof said transverse dimension of a. respective blade member.

10. The contact assembly of claim 8 in which each of said blade membershas a pair of longitudinal edges and in which each said surface alsofires way from said other contact tip surface in a direction generallyperpendicular to said longitudinal dimension and toward one of saidlongitudinal edges to form said pair of side entry flares.

11. The contact assembly of claim 8 in which said blade members areapproximately parallel to each other to position said contact tips toreceive said single contact member inserted parallel to a longitudinalaxis running in said long dimension 1) as guided by said side entryflares for a single contact member entering from a side direction or (2)as guided by said front entry flares for a single contact memberentering from a front direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,926,328 2/1960 Flanagan 3391922,975,395 3/1961 Sitz 339252 3,290,461 12/1966 Schumacher 20051.1646,179 3/1900 Ireland 339--176 1,103,991 7/1914 Murray 339-1761,658,832 2/1928 Brown 200--51.1

1,893,370 1/1933 Jaros et al.

3,202,953 7/1965 Bosworth et al. 339182 X ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, PrimaryExaminer.

D. SMITH, JR., Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

